Ajinomoto build-up film (ABF) substrate demand will remain robust and be even more bullish in the era of 5G, when a diverse range of applications emerges, according to Digitimes. Demand for ABF substrates started picking up in 2018, and has been brisk thanks to the emerging artificial intelligence (AI) and big data applications.
However, major Taiwan-based ABF substrate suppliers including Unimicron Technology and Nan Ya PCB currently have no plans to expand capacity substantially. Instead, the firms will resolve bottleneck issues rather than build additional production lines to scale up their output in 2019.